A Uganda player reported an incident of potential corruption that was promptly addressed by the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) during the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. According to a PTI report, a former Kenya international attempted to approach the Ugandan team member multiple times using different phone numbers during the league stage matches in Guyana. Adhering to the ICC's strict anti-corruption protocols, the Ugandan player reported these approaches to the ACU officials on site.
According to the PTI report, a source expressed that targeting a player from the Ugandan national team is not surprising, as associate nations are often softer targets for corruption. However, in this instance, the approached player promptly informed the ICC.
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"It is not a surprise that this person targeted a player from the Ugandan national team. Associate nations, as compared to the big teams, are soft targets for corruption but in this case the player who was approached did the needful by informing the ICC at the earliest," PTI quoted the source as saying.
The incident led officials to raise a red flag against the former Kenya player and inform all the associate teams about him.
New Global Anti-Corruption Code Enforced by ICC
Notably, failure to report a corrupt approach is an offence under the ICC's anti-corruption code. Other offences include match-fixing, betting on the game, misuse of inside information, and failing to cooperate with an investigation.
Effective June 1, 2024, the ICC Anti-Corruption Code (along with all domestic anti-corruption codes) was replaced with a new global version. This new Code covers all corrupt activities in official cricket, both at the international and domestic levels.
“The Code covers all cricket (whether international or domestic) played under the auspices of the ICC and its Members and applies to all Participants; player, coach, trainer, manager, selector, team owner or official, doctor, physiotherapist, match referee, pitch curator, player agent, umpires, as well as ICC and NCF Officials. Participants are bound by the Code for 2 years after they have last participated in any form of official cricket,” states the ICC Anti-Corruption Code for Participants.
Uganda, placed in Group C of the T20 World Cup 2024, faced defeats against Afghanistan, New Zealand and West Indies but managed a win against Papua New Guinea.